Hey folks, welcome back. The end of week 18 of fantasy hockey marked the last week of NHL games for two weeks. The league is on hiatus while the best of the best play off in the Four Nations Cup.
I can’t help but wonder why the fans weren’t allowed to vote on roster selections. After all, it is this year’s All-Star Game. Even a limited ballot to ensure there were no crazy write-ins. Hey NHL, if you ever do this again, food for thought.
When the NHL returns to action we will be two short weeks from the trade deadline. Fantasy hockey doesn’t stop because there are no games. This is prime time to shore up your roster before the puck drops again. I have one team with a bursting injured reserve. They could all return when games start up again. GM Doyle has been busy working the phones already.
Enough preamble… let’s take a look at what happened last week.
Week 18 of Fantasy Hockey in Review
Thomas Harley, D, Dallas Stars
He’s enjoying life without Miro Heiskanen, D. He has six points in his last five games, with two points on the power play.
If Harley continues this trend, we could see him hang on to his spot on the top power-play unit. Why would you mess with a good thing? This would free Heiskanen up to eat a few extra hard minutes each game.
It’s too soon to anoint this primo gig to Harley, but it’s a step toward the inevitable.
Ryan Donato, C/LW, Chicago Black Hawks
With two goals and two assists, Donato had a huge game on Friday against the Nashville Predators. In three games last week, he picked up seven points. Week 18 of fantasy hockey treated Donato very well.
Donato is a hot topic in trade circles these days. From a fantasy perspective, I pray the Black Hawks extend him.
He’s in the midst of a career year. He’s already set career highs in goals (19), assists (18), and points (37). He’s getting time on the Hawks’ top line with Connor Bedard right now as well.
If he is traded, His production will take a big hit. Teams are looking at Donato as a versatile third-liner. That’s a far cry from playing alongside Bedard. With only a $2 million cap hit, every top team should be interested.
Dylan Guenther, RW, Utah Hockey Club
Guenther also put up seven points over four games last week. The stat that stands out to me is 6, 6, 6, 5. These are the shot totals from each game. He’s up to 41 points in 44 games on the season.
He’s just getting started too. He won’t hit his breakout threshold until December of next season. His 76-point pace is just the tip of the iceberg.
Alex Tuch, RW, Buffalo Sabres
He only played two games in week 18, but he made them count. He went off for back-to-back three-point games.
I know his 65-point pace is a down year, but if we rewind a couple of years – this is what we expected his production to be. I think we see another point-per-game season or more in his career. That said, expectations should be more in the 65-point range.
Brandon Hagel, LW/RW, Tampa Bay Lightning
Hagel continues to love life without Steven Stamkos, C/LW/RW, Nashville Predators. With eight points in four games, he’s now on pace for 92 points.
He looks worth every one of the first-round picks Tampa sent to Chicago for him, now.
Matt Duchene, C/LW, Dallas Stars
Duchene also had back-to-back three-point games to head into the break. He’s now on pace for back-to-back point-per-game seasons.
The addition of Mikael Granlund gives him a reliable replacement for the injured Tyler Seguin, C/RW. This could result in a slight uptick in his production down the stretch.
Evan Bouchard, D, Edmonton Oilers
Bouchard picked up four assists over three games in week 18. Three of those assists came on the power play. His current 65-point pace is more than respectable. However, it is 17 points off his 82-point total from last year.
Speaking of last year, Bouchard had eight power-play goals, 18 in total. This year, no power-play goals. With the Oilers’ potent power play, it’s only a matter of time before a bounce goes his way.
Thatcher Demko, G, Vancouver Canucks
He left Saturday’s game due to injury. No word on whether this is related to the issue that kept him out of the Canucks lineup for the better part of nine months.
Kevin Lankinen, G, Vancouver Canucks
He never really gave up the starting job to Demko. Demko never fully returned to form and Lankinen never lost his form. Which is good news for the Canucks. Hopefully, you hung onto Lankinen. Regardless of the severity of Demko’s injury, his workload just got heavier.
If it’s minor, they will limit starts to protect him from making it worse. If it is bad, they don’t have anyone else they trust right now.
Steven Stamkos, C/LW/RW, Nashville Predators.
Week 18 of fantasy hockey stung like week 17.
He’s now pointless in seven. I own him in four of my five pools. I bought low on him three times this year.
Sometimes when you buy low on a stock that stock keeps going down. It doesn’t magically start going up just because you invested. I can’t sell now, I’m committed. I’d be selling lower than I bought.
If you own Stamkos, you’re in hold mode. Yes, into next season. Get ready for the goblins to start crawling out of the dark crevices looking to steal him from you for pennies on the dollar.
Sell high, buy low. Don’t be the one to sell low. It’s Stamkos, he’ll be back. I just don’t know if it’ll be this year.
Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, Tampa Bay Lightning
He’s on a four-game winning streak and is having his best season in three years. Vasilevskiy returning to form is a big reason the Lightning are sitting in a playoff spot.
He has returned to plug-and-play status. The last two years, you wanted to be careful when you started him. Not this year.
Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Washinton Capitals
Career Goals: 879 (26 on the season)
Gretzky’s Record: 894
To Tie Record: 15 Goals
To Break Record: 16 Goals
That will do it for this week. Thanks for reading.
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